A fire, the second major blaze here in the past week destroyed a home on Highway F east of Antigo Sunday afternoon.

The residence, owned by the Don Helms Jr. family and located at W7976 Highway F, was reported burning at 12:23 p.m.

Mike Winski, assistant chief of the town of Antigo Fire Department, explained that while segments of the residence were saved, including the garage and a piece on the west side, the structure would likely be considered a total loss.

Winski said damage to the building is so severe that it is difficult to pin down a positive cause for the fire, but evidence that could be found suggests it may have been from a faulty electrical cord.

Winski said two passer-bys noticed the fire, contacted 911 and went to the home to make sure no one was still inside.

The trucks from the town of Antigo and Rural Fire Control departments started rolling immediately, but when they arrived the structure was burning “pretty good,” Winski said.

The first portion of the building, the central section, was first to fall with the roof collapsing.

The Norwood and Peck departments were called for a helping hand and Krueger & Steinfest, a local construction company, brought a backhoe to the site and opened the area of the building that had collapsed to allow the firefighters to complete their job.

“It is a complete loss,” Winski said, noting that segments on the east side and west ends have been saved but the core of the structure had been lost.

The last fire in Langlade County was at at the Eli Schroeder dairy barn in the town of Norwood on Feb. 16.

Firefighters poured water onto the home of Don Helms Jr. east of Antigo Sunday afternoon.

Fire claims rural Antigo home Sunday

A fire, the second major blaze here in the past week destroyed a home on Highway F east of Antigo Sunday afternoon.

The residence, owned by the Don Helms Jr. family and located at W7976 Highway F, was reported burning at 12:23 p.m.

Mike Winski, assistant chief of the town of Antigo Fire Department, explained that while segments of the residence were saved, including the garage and a piece on the west side, the structure would likely be considered a total loss.

Winski said damage to the building is so severe that it is difficult to pin down a positive cause for the fire, but evidence that could be found suggests it may have been from a faulty electrical cord.

Winski said two passer-bys noticed the fire, contacted 911 and went to the home to make sure no one was still inside.

The trucks from the town of Antigo and Rural Fire Control departments started rolling immediately, but when they arrived the structure was burning “pretty good,” Winski said.

The first portion of the building, the central section, was first to fall with the roof collapsing.

The Norwood and Peck departments were called for a helping hand and Krueger & Steinfest, a local construction company, brought a backhoe to the site and opened the area of the building that had collapsed to allow the firefighters to complete their job.

“It is a complete loss,” Winski said, noting that segments on the east side and west ends have been saved but the core of the structure had been lost.

The last fire in Langlade County was at at the Eli Schroeder dairy barn in the town of Norwood on Feb. 16.

Firefighters poured water onto the home of Don Helms Jr. east of Antigo Sunday afternoon.